The Live Safe, Feel Safe project aims to raise awareness about domestic violence of all kinds among members of the diverse communities and indigenous people in Sydney, supported by the Department of Social Services and run by Arab Council of Australia.
On average at least one woman a week is killed by a partner or former partner in Australia.[1] One in three Australian women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15.[2]One in five Australian women has experienced sexual violence.2One in four Australian women has experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner.[3]Women are at least three times more likely than men to experience violence from an intimate partner.[4]
Ms. Zahra (the original name was changed), tells us her story and experience with domestic violence.
She was 17-years-old when she married a family friend in Lebanon. They had to wait before emigration due to being married under the age of consent in Australia.
After the third year of their marriage, her ex-husband began beating her and threatened her with a knife to take the custody of their children.
Zahra says she was patient for her children and because she did not know how to get help in Australia.
[2] Cox, P. (2015) Violence against women: Additional analysis of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Personal Safety Survey 2012, Horizons Research Report, Issue 1, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), Sydney; and Woodlock, D., Healey, L., Howe, K., McGuire, M., Geddes, V. and Granek, S. (2014) Voices against violence paper one: Summary report and recommendations, Women with Disabilities Victoria, Office of the Public Advocate and Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria.
[4] In 2012, 17% of all women and 5% of men had experienced violence by a partner since the age of 15. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013), Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013) Personal Safety, Australia 2012, Cat. No. 4906.0, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Canberra.
